Along with her murder, these extremists have called for the killing of the Supreme Court judges who acquitted her. They have called for mutiny in the army and the overthrow of the government. Previously, they have assassinated politicians and judges of good faith who dared even to call for debate on the blasphemy laws. These extremists have declared that anyone supporting a blasphemer is also guilty of blasphemy, and thereby deserving of death.

Release has long called for these laws to be repealed, and will continue to do so. Come what may, these blasphemy laws should no longer be imposed on people of other faiths, denying them that most basic of human freedoms, the freedom of belief and religion. But it is not just the law that needs to change, it is the culture which gave rise to it.

Time and again, Release has seen attacks against Pakistan’s Christian minority on the pretext of blasphemy. A cry goes up, a mob gathers and innocent people are killed. A disproportionate number of those accused are from the Christian minority, whose lives, like Asia’s, have been destroyed by the mere accusation.

Christians in Pakistan are now braced for reprisals, not because of any proven guilt, but simply because, like Asia Bibi, they are Christians. They fear that in Pakistan today, every Christian is regarded as a blasphemer or blasphemer-in-waiting, whose continued existence can no longer be tolerated. These Christians wonder: after Asia, what will follow?

Release calls on Christians everywhere who enjoy freedom of faith, to be mindful of our brothers and sisters in Pakistan where the oxygen of that freedom is in short supply. We must continue to hold them in our hearts and in our prayers.